Wednesday 18th January 2012 - 6 miles treadmill

Total so far: £700.53
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Thanks!

A solid 10Km on the treadmill tonight to give my calf another workout.  I felt some soreness in my legs through the run and also afterwards but just tiredness, not injury (I hope!).  I do have some pain in my right ankle and I think I will invest in a support for the ultra on Saturday.  Before the treadmill I did some core strength work. I put more effort into this than I normally do and my heart rate was high even before I started on the treadmill.

Over the last week or so I've focused a little on my kit list.  Most of the equipment I need has a pretty obvious safety function and some of it will be helpful on Saturday.  I have bought a foil blanket; anyone who has ever wrapped one around themselves at the end of a cold marathon will testify how warm they are!  Also, a pea-less whistle (great phrase!); a desert hat with neck shield; and a tiny first aid kit that seems to weigh only fractionally more than the air that surrounds it.  I've also bought some gaters to keep the sand out of my trainers.  This is an essential precaution as I am told that having sand in your shoes is a sure fire way to rip your feet to shreds in the desert.

The exotic nature of the Marathon des Sables is evidenced by the fact that I've also had to buy an anti-venom kit to suck out snake or scorpion venom quickly in case of a bite.  The possibility of being bitten by a snake or a scorpion fills me full of dread and yet also a sort of boyish excitement.  I hope I never have to use it but you have to say, it's kind of cool to need one.

I intend to write much more about each of these precautions as I get closer to the event (and learn how to use each of them!).Tonight I may go back on the elliptical just to give my calf and ankle a full three days to rest before the 33 mile ultra on Saturday but I'll see how I feel when I get to the gym.

On the fundraising front I emailed the PR departments of all the companies listed in last week's New Scientist recruitment special (random I know, it was the first thing that came to hand!).  I have also listed out all the companies in the FTSE100 and the FTSE250 and over the coming days I intend to write to the PR departments of all of those firms asking for sponsorship.  If you work for a company who might be willing to sponsor an honest and hardworking Welsh boy to do something a little useful with his life then please get in touch!

Thanks for reading folks! Peace, out.

JUST THE FACTS!!
Weight: 79.6 Kg

TODAY 
Distance 6.25 miles
Time  0:59:15 hrs
Elliptical 0 hrs
Kcal  0
Press-ups 0
Swimming 0 m
Sauna  15 mins

TOTAL
Distance 344.48 miles
Time  62:51:43
Elliptical 16:11 hrs
Kcal  34,388
Press-ups 620
Swimming 12,500 m
Sauna  6:35 mins

Contact me: miffjacobs@hotmail.com
Please remember that I'm inflicting all this pain and misery on myself for a cause greater than just having a good story to tell over a beer. I hope to raise over £9,500 for MENCAP.

There are 1.5 million people in the UK with a learning disability. Most are treated as ‘different’ however with the right support people with a learning disability can have access to education, jobs and an independent place to live. Mencap works with people with a learning disability to help them live the lives they want.

Be cool and click on the link below and help make someone's life better.
http://www.justgiving.com/pitymyfeet